Mosaic Gazing Ball - or is it?

Some of you may know that, on occasion, I like to repurpose things into other things. From the seemingly most mundane (ugly) items into things you might not ever think of them becoming. It's like the story of the ugly duckling that grows into the beautiful swan. I guess I just like the shock factor I get from people when they learn what it originally was. 

I started making gazing balls when I started following a gardening chat room back in 2009. It was the junk section where people would take junk finds and turn them into unique decor.

That's where I learned about bed benches & when I had my husband make this one. 

So these people started showing off these gazing balls they made and they looked so pretty! Since they were made with those dastardly flat glass marbles, that I had so many of, from who knows what fly by night project I thought I needed them for (beta fish & plant in a vase maybe?) it was Perfect! But what was I going to use for the ball? As I read over & over, they were all using old bowling balls! 

Get outta Dodge! Really? 

Weeeeellll, now I was on the hunt for a bowling ball and I found one. I made one of those gazing balls. And this was it.

 

I loved how it turned out. I painted it a bright apple green spray paint before applying the marbles. The background color really sets off the clear and turquoise marbles against the opaque and dark blues. You can spot it in the garden a mile away, well maybe a little less than a mile.

My step-sister loved it so much that I made her one too. Sadly, she passed away this last fall. I think it would be nice if she could have it at her grave, but I don't know if that could or would happen.

I'm supposed to make one for my husband's boss' wife, but I slacked on getting that one done this last summer, so I need to make sure it happens before the spring thaw this year. 

One of my very good friends stopped by a few months back and seen this and she was going to pay me to make her one. She was going to buy the marbles herself, but I guess with the thought of deciding on colors and finding enough, she decided she was over that. So I thought I would go ahead and make it for her - for her birthday. 

I finally gave it to her today. She seemed genuinely thrilled with how it turned out. Whew! I never know if things I make with my own designs are going to be well received.

I started doing it in the same swirl design like I did on my own, since she seemed to really like that pattern.

Then I kind of started straying away from that design because I wanted you to be able to see a different design depending on which side of the ball you were facing. This one kind of has some swirly stems with flowers dangling from them.

Then I was left with all these green and pink marbles and no more brown ones, so I started just doing pink flowers in a sea of green. I'm thinking of maybe just doing an entire ball like that. What do you think?

I have several bowling balls ready for their swan show and spring IS just around the corner. I guess I better "get on the ball!" sorry, I couldn't resist.

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